Match-boxing machine.



Patented Dec. 3, I90l.

H. 0. LA FLAMBOY. MATCH BUXINGMADHJ NE.

(Application filed m 18, 1901.

4 Sheets-Sheet l.

' (No Model.)

I N VEN TOR WITNESSES Attorneys.

N0. 687,936. V Patented D0013, l90l.'

' H. C. LA FLAMBOY.

MATCH BOXING MACHINE.

(Application filed May is, 1901. r (N0 Mode'l.) 4 Sheets-3heet 2.

1N VENT 01? V Q Attarrzeys.

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'No. 687,936. PatentedDec. 3, I901.

' H. 0. LA FLAMBOY.

MATCH BOXING MACHINE.

(Afiplicgtiqn filed May 18, 1901.) v (No Model.) 4 Shqatv-Sheet 3.

II 'II' WITNESSES I f INVENTOR 7,- g

Attorneys.

Patented Dec. 3, 190i.

H. 0. LA FLAM BOY. MATCH soxma MACHINE.

(Application mea ma 1a, 1901.

4 Sheets- Shed: 4.

(No Model.)

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INVENTOR ubnuuc'uu unnnu uuu unuu'uuuuquun UDDDDEIDDUUDD DUDCIDEIGUDDD'J DDDDDUDDDDDU WITNESSES Attorneys.

TIARRY 0. LA FLAMBOY, OF DETROIT,

PATENT MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO. ROBERT THUN ER AND BETHUNE DUFFIELD, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

MATCH-BOXING ,MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 687,936, dated. December 3, 1901. Application filed May 18, 1901, Serial No. 60,805- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAEEYO. LA FLAMBOY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Match-Boxing Machines; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it.

pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to machines for placing matches in boxes; and it consists in the improvements hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the complete machine on a line corresponding to 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the machine, illustrating the method of placing the matches into the boxes so that the heads of a part of said matches shall be in one direction and part in the other direction. Fig. 6 is a detail illustrating the mechanism for regulating the motion of the carrier-plates. Fig. 7 is a view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 6 looking from above, as shown in said figure.

A is the base of the machine, consisting of a top plate A and a bottom plate A joined together by plates A B represents standards rising from the baseplate A their tops being below the top plate A. There are two pairs of said standards, one pair being located toward one end of the base A and the other pair toward the other end of said base.

O is a frame extending lengthwise of the base Abeneath and parallel to the top plate A.

0 represents the side rods of the frame 0. The side rods 0 pass through apertures in the tops of the standards-B and are adapted to reciprocate therein.

a is a crosspiece between the rods 0 O.

O C are shafts extending between the side rods 0 O,one of said shafts toward each end of the frame 0. The shafts rest and are adapted to turn in bearing on the side rods 0' O. O

represents sprocket-wheels, one at the center of each of said shafts and of sufficient diameter so that they extend through slots in the top plate A.

O is a sprocket-chain extending around the wheels 0 the upper strand of said chain being above the top plate A.

C represents flanges attached to the chain C at intervals equal to the width of the matchboxes to be filled and extending outward from said chain and also bending at right angles and extending i n a plane parallel to said chain. The length of said flanges extending laterally to said chain is a little less than the length of a match-box.

0 represents ways raised a little from the upper surface of the top plate A and extending longitudinally thereof. The ways. C serve as guides for the flanges C and hold the same in a horizontal. position while passing over the top plate A. The upper strand of the chain 0 passes between the ways O C is a pulley upon one ofv the shafts 0 through which the chain 0 may be driven.

C is a fork connected to the cross-piece a of the frame O.

O is a shaft resting in bearings on the end of the base A.

O is a pulley upon the shaft 0 O is a cam upon the shaft 0 between the branches of the fork C 0 by means of the pulley O the cam O is caused to act against the branches of the fork C to oscillate the frame 0.

D D are two vertically-extending plates lying parallel to each other and a distance apart equal to the length of a box, one of said plates being on each side of the chain 0 above and adjacent to the top plate A. The plates D D are connected together by cross-pieces d (1, Figs. 2, 3, and 4.

D is a shaft resting in bearings on the base A and extending parallel thereto above its upper surface and parallel to the upper strand of the chain C D D are cranks upon the shaft D, which are connected to the plates D D by connecting rods D D When the shaft D is rotated,

Byturning the shaft 1;

the plates D D are reciprocated thereby in a direction transverse to the motion of the upper strand of the chain C D D are strips along the inner sides of the plates D D near the upper edge thereof.

D D D D Fig. 1, are vertically-extending plates hinged at the ends to the plates D D and forming extensions thereof. The outer ends of the plates D are restrained from lateral motion by pins D extending from the top plate A. .While the plates D are oscillated, as above described, the outer ends of the plates D remain fixed, so that the boxes will enter between them without difficulty.

E E are standards rising from the top plate A, and E E are hangers extending downward from the bottom plate A in line with the standards E E. i

E E are sprocket-Wheels pivoted at the lower ends of the hangers E E, and E Fig. 3, is one of the two pulleys pivoted at the upper ends of the standards E opposite to the sprocket-Wheels E E E are sprocket-chains passing over and engaging the teeth of the wheels E passing through slots in the base A, and passing over the pulleys E The two inner strands of the chains E pass through a slot E in the base A, which extends between said strands parallel to the chain E", to the ways and the plates D D. The chains E are provided with holes to receive the pintles of the plates E E represents foraminous plates into the holes in which matchsticks are placed for dipping and from which the matches are to be discharged into the boxes. The plates E are provided with pintles extending from lateral edges near one of the ends adapted to pass into the holes in the chains E to suspend said plates from said chains.

1 E is a brace secured to the top plate A of the base and adapted to hear at its end against a descending plate E to prevent said plate beltg bent when the matches are forced out o it. E is ashaft extending between the sprocketwheels E and keyed to said wheels.

. E isaratchet-wheelkeyedupontheshaftE E is a pawl adapted to actuate the wheel E E is a reciprocating rod bearing in guides in, the hanger E F represents rods adapted to reciprocate in guides in the standards F in a direction perpendicular to the plate E, which is hanging upon the vertical portions of the chains E.

F F are cam-faces upon the rod F.

F F are standards extending upward from the top plate A of the base.

F is a shaft adapted to turn in hearings in the standards F F is a cam upon the shaft F adapted to act upon the cam-faces F to reciprocate the rod F.

F is a pulley upon the shaft F through which motion may be communicated to it.

F is a second pulley upon the shaft F.

F is a counter-shaft resting in hearings in standards rising from the top plate A.

F is a pulley upon the shaft F F is a belt passing around the pulleys F F and adapted to communicate motion from the shaft F to the counter-shaft F.

F is a belt adapted to communicate motion from the counter-shaft F to the shaft D.

F represents guides for the descending plates E.

F is a plate upon the inner end of the reciprocating rods F.

F represents small rods or punches extending from the inner surface of the plate F and adapted to pass into the holes in the plate E to displace the matches therefrom.

F F are rock-arms pivoted at F to the base A and connected at their upper ends to rods F and at their lowerend to the rods E F". The reciprocation of the rods F rocks the arms F one of which reciprocates the rod E and the other a similar rod F Figs. 3 and 6, which latter bears stop-pawls F F on its inner end, which act upon cam- Wheels F F keyed u pon theishaft E to regulate the motion of said shaft. Said camwheels are furnished. with cam-faced teeth, the outlines of which are such that they shall act in conjunction with the pawls F and F to permit the proper motion of the wheels, and therefore the shaft E. A small portion of the bottom of the notches between the teeth is arranged with parallel walls, so that when one of said pawls is at the bottom of one notch and the other of said pawls is entirely out of the opposite notch the motion of the wheels will be completely constrained by the firstmentioned pawl.

The operation of the above-described device is as follows: The plates E filled with finished matches, are placed one by one between the descending strands of the chains E the pintles extending from the lateral edges of the plates engaging in holes in said chains. Boxes for the reception of the matches are placed upon the flanges G which are on the upper strand of the chain 0. Power is then applied to the pulley G by a vertically-extending belt, which rotates the shaft 0 to which said pulley is attached, which carries with it the sprocket-wheel G which is secured to the same and causes the chain 0 to move, carrying the boxes H along with it between the flanges D D, and in front of the plate E a belt is also applied to the pulley C which rotates the shaft C, which oscillates the frame 0, by means of the cam O Power is also applied to the pulley E, which rotates the shaft F and pulley F which rotates the co nnter-shaft F, by means of a belt F The rotation of the countershaft F rotates the shaft D by means of the belt F and the rotation of the last-named shaft oscillates the flanges D, and at each motion said flanges contact the boxes which are between them, giving said boxes a quick motion in the direction of the movement of said flanges. The rotation of the shaft F oscillates the rod F by means of the cam F and the cam-faces F each inward oscilla- .tion of the rod F causing the rods F to pass into the holes in the plates E and force out the matches in said holes, which drop into the boxes H in front of said plate. Each outward movement of the rod F oscillates the rocking arm 1?, carrying its upper end 0utward and its lower end inward, the latter carrying the rod E inward, moving the ratchetwheel E one tooth along and lowering the plate E until another set of holes comes in front of the rods F ,when the above-described operation is repeated. Centering-rods operated by the levers F and entering special apertures in the plates E may be used, if desired, to accurately 'fix the plate in position for the action of the rods F. E become emptied of their matches and pass below the base A they are detached from the chains E by an attendent and returned to the filling-machine. I arrange the apparatus so that at least two of the above-described plate-emptying apparatus shall act to fill the boxes while passing along upon the chain C and I arrange such apparatus so that half the matches shall be filled from one side and half from the other side, as shown in Fig. 5. This brings the heads or larger parts of half of the matches in one direction and the other half in the other direction, so that the matches at the top of the box will lie level. The motion of the rock-arms F which carries the rod E1 inward also carries the rod F inward, the first partof the inward motion of said rod carrying the stop-pawl F along and out of the inner parallel-sided portion of a notch in the wheel F and carrying the stop-pawl F along and into contact with the outer portion of the curved wall of a notch in the wheel F At this point of the stroke the pawl E contacts a tooth of the ratchet E and begins to rotate the shaft E During the further motion of the pawl E the stop-pawls F F181) pass along the curved walls of their respective notches until the motion is nearly completed, when the pawl'E clears the teeth of its wheel and the stop-pawl F enters the parallel-walled inner portion of its slots. It will be noticed that by the above-described apparatus the motion of the shaft E is at ways constrained, because one of the pawls F or I is in the portion of its slot at which the walls of its slot contact it on both sides, or else one of said pawls contacts a tooth so as to prevent rotation in one direction and the other of said pawls contacts a tooth so as to prevent motion in the other direction.

I claim-- 1. In a match-box-filling machine,the combination of means for causing the boxes to pass consecutively past two given points,

As the plates means located at one of said points for delivering the matches to said boxes with their heads all in one direction, and means located at the other of said points for delivering the matches to the boxes with their heads all in the other direction.

2. In a match-box-filling machine,the combination of a base, a frame adapted to reciprocate on said base, sprocket-wheels mounted toward the ends of said frame, a sprocketchain passing over said wheels, said chain being adapted to transport the match-boxes, means for rotating one of said sprocketwheels, and means upon said base for reciprocating said frame in its bearings.

3. In a match-box-filling machine,tl1e combination of a base, a frame adapted to reciprocate on said base, sprocket-wheels mounted toward the ends of said frame and having their peripheries extending to the surface of said base, a sprocket-chain adapted to transport the boxes passing around said wheels and along the surface of said base, plates extending vertically to the surface of said base upon each side of said chain and means for reciprocating said plates toward and away from said chain, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In a match-box-filling machine,the combination of a base, a frame adapted to reciprocate on said base, sprocket-wheels mounted toward the ends of said frame and having their peripheries extending to the surface of said base, a sprocket-chain, adapted totransport the boxes, passing around said wheels and along the surface of said base, plates extending vertically to the surface of said base upon each side of said chain, a plate hinged at its end to the end of each of the first-mentioned plates and forming an extension thereof, the outer ends of said extension-plate bein g hinged to said base, and means for reciprocating the first-mentioned plates toward and away from said chain, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In a match-box-filling machine,the combination of a base, a frame adapted to reciprocate on said base, sprocke -wheels mounted toward the ends of said frame and having their peripheries extending to the surface of said base, a sprocket-chain adapted. to transport the boxes, passing around said wheels and along the surface of said base, plates extending vertically upon each side of said chain and united together beneath said chain and means for reciprocating said plates laterally to the motion of said boxes, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY 0. LA FLAMEOY.

Witnesses:

MAY E. Korr, ELLIOTT J. STODDARD. 

